Oh did I say Greenpeace? I meant Federalist Society

There is some evidence that the Justice Department has been screening resumes for its prestigious recruitment program on the basis of political bias. An inspector general report (as detailed in the New York Times on June 25th, 2008, “Report Sees Illegal Hiring Practices at Justice Dept.”) concludes that during the Bush administration, the DOJ turned away qualified applicants with liberal leaning backgrounds and interests in favor of their more conservative (and sometimes less qualified) competition.

Left or right, I’ve not heard anyone condoning the government’s actions in this particular matter. Certainly, for the Department of Justice in particular, it should be about the most qualified lawyers getting these jobs without respect to their political point of view. Having said that, can we ever truly leave our bias at the door? A resume that is pointedly political will necessarily evoke a response from its audience. And, as a lawyer in the lateral market, it’s sometimes difficult to anticipate how your world view is going to be perceived by a potential employer.

I hate to tell a lawyer to sanitize their resume. Removing something you feel passionately about from the four corners of your resume feels a little like ’selling out’, doesn’t it? Obviously, if you spent a summer on the campaign trail it’s a part of your professional background and your work history, and you have to include it. But what if you volunteer at Planned Parenthood? Or lobby your school system to teach intelligent design?

It’s important to recognize that people will form perceptions of you based on your background and what causes you support. Reviewing a resume is a subjective analysis–the reviewer brings their own bias to the table. I suppose the magnitude of this bias depends in part on what you do and where you live. It makes me wonder whether it ever makes sense to temper one’s resume to keep the emphasis on skills and achievements and away from those activities that might reveal our place on the political spectrum. Has anyone removed something from their resume to minimize their political leanings?

All I Wanted Was A Vacation….

I recently had a firm ask to revisit a candidate that they had passed on several months ago. Their first question, logically, was whether or not the candidate was still on the market. “Are they still interviewing?” To my chagrin, I had to tell the firm that while this candidate was still on the market, she was no longer with her firm. Unfortunately, now the firm has decided to hold off bringing her in for an interview so that they can look at some other candidates.

The truth is that this candidate left her job willingly and happily and did so because “she had enough money to last a while and wanted some time off.” You work hard and deserve to take some time off. However, I can not stress to you enough to take the time off AFTER you secure employment.

I once wrote an article geared toward law students regarding the importance of how they spend their summers and how it can speak volumes to a law firm. Firms want to know their junior associates are focused, goal oriented and are going to be long-term hires. One way to gauge that focus is by looking at how they choose to spend their summers. Backpacking in Europe or billing hours at Skadden Arps?

The same goes for a candidate’s judgment when it comes to leaving one job before securing another. It is rare that a firm’s needs are so urgent that they are willing to walk away from an ideal candidate because they have asked to take a few weeks for some much needed rest.

While every situation is unique, I urge you to talk to your recruiter before taking that walk down the hall and giving your two weeks notice. Otherwise, you may be taking a much longer vacation than you had anticipated!

Is FUN a Four Letter Word?

When I made the transition from practicing law to become a recruiter, I thought that my stress-induced sleepless nights were a thing of the past. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I recently had to pause and re-visit the stress management techniques I tried to master when I was practicing law. Doing so made me recall the importance of stress management.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers when it comes to effective stress management. I feel a great deal of responsibility to the attorneys I represent and I’ve had to counsel people through some pretty difficult junctures in their careers. Between my professional obligations and the craziness of my household (two young children and many pets), stress management is something I have to work on constantly. For now, a few tips that I have found to be incredibly effective:

• Exercise: I didn’t believe it until I committed to a regular exercise routine but the mental benefits of exercise are incredible. The gym has never “done it” for me so, instead, I found myself taking tennis lessons, joining recreational sports teams, etc. The key is to find something that you enjoy doing so that you will actually do it!
• Take a deep breath: When you feel the pot is going to boil-over, step away from the kitchen and take a breather. Leave your office. Take a walk, grab a cup of coffee, and then come back to the fray. I know it’s not always possible to step away but, I also think that many of us tend to overstate just how impossible it really is to step away. We all have deadlines and e-mails that need to be returned. But, take time to be honest with yourself and if you really can step away for five minutes, do it! You’ll be much more effective after you’ve had a chance to breathe.
• Smile or (gasp) Laugh many times a day: It feels good to smile. Even better if you can come up with a reason to laugh. It sounds so simple but if you stop and pay attention, you might be surprised to find that the world seems to have stopped smiling. If you stop for a brief moment, think of something wonderful, positive, or funny and allow yourself to smile, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in your overall disposition.

Above all, know thyself. As I said at the beginning, stress management is not my strong suit. But, I do know that when I find myself snapping at people or waking up at 2:00 am for no apparent reason, I’m letting things get to me. And, that’s when I know I have to go back to the simple things that help me manage my stress levels. I really believe that stress is responsible for a lot of illnesses and other difficulties. So, it’s worth it to take the time to think about the way you manage stress and learn to adopt some good, healthy habits!

Stages of Life: Non-Attorney to Attorney to Recruiter

This weekend, I had the opportunity to revisit my pre-law school life. Between college and law school, I took four years off to live in Boston and D.C. and work for a nonprofit organization. It was that experience that ultimately led me to a career in tax and corporate law. It was incredible to become acquainted with the girl I was before law school and my law practice took over my life. I visited with old friends today who have never heard me talk about bar exams, billable hours, due diligence trips, merger agreements, etc. It was fascinating!

Life wasn’t better then - but it was surely different and less busy!

My friends and acquaintances will tell you that I am not a philosophical person. But, I believe that, as attorneys, our common experiences bond us. For this reason, I generally recommend that associates and partners work with a recruiter who was a practicing attorney (whether or not a BCG recruiter) - with, of course, a few exceptions. I think that former attorneys can bring an interesting perspective to our work as recruiters gained through many hours of one-the-job training (and schooling!) We’ve been there!

Personally, I enjoy speaking with attorneys who remain in practice - especially my fellow BigLaw tax and corporate attorneys. And I have a big soft spot for my fellow Fordham Law alums! I have sat in your seat - and feel incredibly qualified to help you craft the career that you want.

Speak No Evil

The Bush administration continues to provide us with numerous valuable career and crisis management lessons. The publication of What Happened , a tell all White House expose written by former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, gives us some new examples.

First the career lesson: never speak ill of a current or former employer.

Scott McClellan is getting a quick lesson in this rule. On the same day that news of his book was released to the public, former and current Bush officials were covering the airwaves with a comprehensive attack on Scott McClellan. It’s too early to tell who will win the PR war; but clearly McClellan’s integrity has now been effectively challenged.

Similarly, while you may harbor serious misgivings about a former or current employer, think long and hard about whether you want to air these grievances publicly. An institution has better resources to get it’s message across. Is it really worth it to your career to have the satisfaction of getting your message out to the general legal community. This is particularly true in an interviewing situation. If you want to make a lateral move, talk about the positive attributes of the firm where you have the interview. Don’t badmouth your current firm.

Second: in a crisis, get everyone on the same page.

Regardless of what you think of Karl Rove or other former close advisors to the President, you have to give them credit for the skill they demonstrate in getting everyone on the same page. On the same day that the news broke about McClennan, Karl Rove, President’s Counsel Dan Bartlett and former Press Secretary Ari Fleischer were all commenting how “sad” this was and how this is not the Scott McClennan we knew.

While my own political inclinations would make me want to believe McClennan’s version of reality, this carefully orchestrated counterattack definitely made me consider whether McClennan is in fact a disgruntled former employee who is trying to profit from his experience.

As we enter a period of economic down turn and law firms need to consider the unpopular decision of laying off associates, they would do well to make sure the message that is put out to the public is a unified message. Speaking with a unified voice will at least give the firm a chance of minimizing the negative fallout of a layoff.

Fear of Job Loss

According to a new study, nearly 30 percent of all large firm associates fear losing their jobs. While this may be a bit higher than it might have been several years ago, I imagine that this statistic is par for the course. Large law firms are not known for doing a lot of hand holding; and in both good and bad times, associates often tell us that they do not get enough feedback and are therefore worried about their tenure.

But what if work really is slowing down? Are you really at risk of being fired? Take a look at an article my colleague Carey Bertolet wrote on the subject.

Furthermore, how should you spend your time when there is “nothing to do?” Here is a partial list of suggestions:

• Write an article.
• Ask partners if they need help.
• Volunteer to put together CLE materials for a partner who is speaking at a conference.
• Join a bar association committee and volunteer for a high profile role.
• Check in with clients just to say hi. Invite them to lunch or coffee if they are local and use the time for relationship building.
• Attend CLE courses yourself.
• Meet classmates for lunch.

And if you really believe you are at risk of losing your job, start networking and job hunting. At the very worst you will gain more perspective on your current situation and learn something about the legal marketplace.

Finding Work for All Those Attorneys

Ever wonder how mega law firms find work for all those partners and associates? An item in today’s New York Lawyer does a good job of explaining how it is possible to keep so many professionals employed under one roof (free subscription required). Apparently, Invitrogen, a manufacturer of test kits, chemicals and cells will acquire Applied Biosystem Inc. In order to consummate the deal, DLA Piper, Skadden Arps and Fried Frank each assembled their own armies (representing the buyer, seller and bank respectively.) In total, 52 lawyers were kept busy by the $6.4 billion stock and cash deal. But now that their work is done, what will they all do?

Ah yes, the age question

Learning to Wait With Grace: The Art of Patience

I hate to wait. Really, really hate it. It depresses me, puts me in a funk, and sometimes makes me act irrationally. But, as a legal recruiter, I’ve started to accept the fact that waiting is a critical part of the process for myself as well as my candidates.

Is Your Bio Accurate?

If you are open to a lateral move, it’s very important that your bio on your firm’s website accurately reflects your experience (assuming that you are able to provide input on your bio).

With regard to headhunters, an accurate biography can do two things: (1) eliminate calls regarding positions that don’t match your background, and (2) encourage calls for positions that do.

This sounds like very basic advice, but it’s quite shocking how many attorneys will say to me, “Oh, my biography is so outdated - I have much more X or Y experience than is reflected there.”

Just something to think (and hopefully write) about.